Improvement in letter files and binders



E. uELL a 1. w.'LaLLEYSheetwsheef A Letter-Files and Binders. N0. 140,610, Patented'luly8,1873.

e? l .SE l F R mtmm n (irmmmm UNITED STATES PATENT, OFFICE.

.ECKFORD BUELL AND JOHN W. LILLEY, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, ASSIGNORS TO'LOUIS SIEBERT AND JOHN W. LILLEY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPRovEMsNriN LETTER FILES AND ei-NDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,610, dated July 8, 1873; application filed i February 217, 1873.y

To all whom Ait may concern:

Be it known `that we, EGKFORD BUELL and JOHN W. LILLEY, of Columbus, in the noun- `ty of Franklin, State of Ohio, have invented a. certain Improved Letter File and Binder, of

which'the following is a specification:

The rst part of the invention relates ,to the -method of l placing letters, bills, and invoices, or other papers on le in alphabetical order for preservation and easy reference. The second part of the invention Vrelates to the method of binding' the letters or papers when the tileis complete.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine when ready for use. Fig. 2. is the divider, hereafter described. Fig. 3 is a plan of the said machine.l Fig. 4 is a sectional view at the line' A B in Fig.

The machine consists of, first, a base of wood,

of any width and length, according to the size of the papers to be filed, 0,'Fig. 1; second, a

metal frame consisting of- First. Two cross-bars, D and E, Fig. 3, connected together by the side pieces a and a, the

. franie being of the same width as the wooden base,` and sunk into it so that the surface of Y the metal ame at the bottomby hinges that allow it to be let down; dat .even with thebase,

and when upright heldrmly to the side pieces by aspring-latch at each end d and d, Fig. 1,

the one on the opposite, end 'being concealed by the side piece. Across the top of this end v lgate is a cross-bar, E', Fig. 1. -Upon the out-l side of this cross-bar is a lever, f and f, Fig.

1, turning on a pivot near the center ofthe crossbar worked by a thumb-piece, g, and with slantin g ends working upon the spring-latches so that whenthe end of the lever is pressed down by the thumb-piece the latches are opened, and the gate can be let down.

1 Fourth. In the cross-bar E at the top of the A gate, and an inch, more or less, from each'end of it, are firmly fastened two needles, t' and i, Fig.'1, curved in the shape of a quarter-circle, andextending from the cross-bar of the gate, where they are fastened, downward to the cross- .barE, Fig-3, of the frame in the base, the points of the needles entering holes 7c and k, Fig.'

3, in the frame prepared for them. In the cross-bar E, Fig. 3, of the frame, betweenthe two needles just described, and one-third of the whole distance b etween them, are firmly fastened two other needles, l and l, Fig. 1, curved in the same are as the others, and ex.- tending from the cross -bar of the frame, where they are fastened, upward in the same direction as the others. and. .terminating in points' about half thedistance from the -ba'se Ato the cross-bar ofthe gate.

Fifth. Behind each of the needles-before mentioned, and one-half inch, more or less, from them, is a quadrantal gage, m m m m, Fig. 1, each fastened firmly to the cross-bars D and E, Fig. 3.

Sixth. On the cross-bar D of Figs. 1 and 3 of the frame, and between the outside gages and those next within, are metal sockets n and n,

Fig.' 1:; also, in sectional view, Fig. 4, in which to `rest the edge of the divider, hereafter de-l scribed, when putting paper on or taking it oi' the files.

Seventh. An ordinary index vof Manila or other paper, A, Fig. 1, the same width as the base within the side pieces of the frame, and.

its length being the distance of the gages from the furthestv end of the base.` The sheets of the index are pierced by .the needles, .and lie strung upon them, and held by -them firmly, against the gages, while theletters'of the in.

dex are at the opposite end of the-base. These.

gages are forthe purpose of guiding rthepa# per, and. keeping it straightY and even -whilebeing placed onfthe ile, as will be more fullyr described hereafter. rlhe needles are each provided with eyes in their points, the use of which will be vhereafter described.

Eighth. A divider of thin board, made ,thin` nerat the edge or points, Fig. 2, of the same width as the index, and provided with slotsin the edge or point corresponding to the numa4 ber and depth of the gages, and which allow it tozbe inserted between the'gages'es far as the' sockets n and n, Fig. 1, before described,l

lputting it on the files.

Method of using the machine: First, to pnt papers on the file insert the divider vbetween the leaves of the index-at the proper letter of the alphabet, and push' the divider through till its 'points restin thev soeketsbefore mentioned; then raise the handle of,r the divider till all the leavesofthe index vand papers on ile .above the divider are thrown o' from the two short needles and are only held by the two long ones, and pressed with the divider, then let down against the endgate,stil1 keeping the leaves thrown oi pressed against it with the divider to keep them from falling ba'ek or leaning; then place the end or side, as desired, of the sheet to be tiled against the gages and on the points of the shortern eedles then insert the points of the divider in the sockets above the'sheet to be iled, and with n the divider, using the sockets as a fulcrum, press the sheet down to its proper place on the file; then throw up the end-gate till it is fastened by the spring-latches. This brings the long needles down to the base, piercing with Ithese needles, likewise, the sheet just iiled upon the others, and, with the divider, press the portion of, the index and the sheets tiled that were thrown oft' at rstbaek to their place, as n t iirst. This completes the operation of ling, and, with a little practice, can. be done very quickly. I

Second. To take a sheet from the files: This will be readily suggested from the process of putting a sheet on the ile just described.

Third. To bind the file: First 'thread the two short needles with a piece ofl small. strong twine; then, with the divider, throw the index and papers filed oft from the short needles onto the long ones, and let do'wn the end-gate.

This pulls the cord through the two middle holesin the file of papers in the shape of a loop. Then draw the ends of the cord through the holes in the tile of papers and out from the.

eyes of the two' needles; th'en with thel end ofthe c ord nearest the left hand thread the left-vv hand long needle; the same with the right;- then close the end-gate, and, withthe divider, press the file of papers baekto their place on the base, and, keeping them in that position, let

downtheend-gate. Thispullstheeordsthrongh I the end holes in the shape of a loop. Then j y pull the ends of the cords through. the holes and outfrom the needles; then, with the lefthand cord, thread the left-hand short needle,

and the same with the right'y then withthe divider, the end-gate being own, throw the le of papers oft' from the ille altogether; then -pull the ends of the cord out from the middle holes and out ofthe short needles, and tie the ends tight lto the 'tile of papers, and the operation is completed, and the ille of papers is ready to be laid away in a convenient shape for reference. A new index may then be placed upon the -iile, and the machine used again. The Iile of papers may also be bound, by the same process, in a cover prepared for it.

We do not claim the index as our invention but- We claim as our invention- 1. The disposition of needles of di'erent lengths in a paper iile and binder in a manner relative to each other and to the cross-bar E of the frame, and the cross-bar E ofthe endgate, and to the other devices therewith con nected, whereby individual papers or folios are detachable without deranging the remaining papers llled, substantially as set forth and 'described herein.

2. The combination and arrangement of the base O and metallic frames D E, the bracketshaped sides b b and c c the end-gate F, the ga es m m, m, and m, t 1e needless' i and l l, an the divider, Fig. 2, operating together substantially as and for the purpose herein shown.

EOKFORD BUELL. JOHN W. LILLEY.

Attest:

Cans. E. BURR, I. PLUNKHART. 

